I know everyone has been waiting with baited breath for any new details about Atlus’ upcoming Persona 5 — and with good reason. It looks incredibly stylish, slick, and well-designed. This new trailer shows off the first gameplay we’ve seen of the game, along with some animated cutscenes and footage of some impressive-looking menus that seem to slide effortlessly between options. There are some great designers over at Atlus! I’ll be honest: I’ve never been able to get into the Persona series before… but this trailer makes me want to. You’ve done your job well, marketing team. I still love that logo too, it all its retro deliciousness. Check out the trailer below and freak out with everyone else. Read more…
It’s a little ridiculous that Persona 4 is seemingly so popular that it deserves not only rereleases and two anime series, but its own dancing game. But that’s what happening, and considering Shoji Meguro’s music in Persona is always fun to listen to, a game centered around that music seems natural. Persona 4: Dancing All Night is coming out on Vita sometime this year, and Atlus’s latest trailer is a lyric video for the opening theme. Seeing as fans usually get a lot of the English lyrics wrong when a new Persona theme is revealed due to the Japanese accent, this is not a bad idea, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a little more gameplay. Read more…
The theatrical adaptation of Persona 3 continues with Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down. The anime movie will be released in Japan on April 4, only a few months from now. It’s not yet clear whether there will be a fourth film or if Falling Down is the final film in the series, but judging by this new teaser, we’re getting close to the end. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting on a Western release for the second movie in the series, Midsummer Knight’s Dream. Seeing as it will be out on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on March 11, I predict a release later this year. Read more…
For a small company, Atlus is usually pretty good at rewarding fans who buy their games at launch. Like many previous games, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, a 3DS update to the original DS game, will include a bonus. All pre-order and first-run copies will come bundled with a soundtrack CD; it’s not clear if the disc is a full soundtrack or just a music sampler, but either way, it’s a nice freebie for fans. And considering Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker comes with pretty much double the content of the original release, anyone buying this is getting a great deal. Read more…
TGS is about to start, and on a pre-show stream, a new trailer for Persona 5 was shown. It features a messy-haired protagonist walking amidst crowds until some sort of fire erupts. There’s some other little details hidden in there as well, like the newspaper headings reading “murdered in their own room […].” Also, that logo is so 70s, and I love it oh so much. Perhaps the most interesting detail is that the game will also be coming out on PS4 the same day as the PS3 version… in 2015. Yup, a little delay there! Read more…
As long as the characters are balanced, offering additional characters as DLC for a fighting game can be a good way to extend playability. It’s a bit weird when that DLC is available at the launch of a new version (with new characters) of a previous fighting game, though. Perhaps to head off any complaints about money-grubbing, Atlus USA has announced in their newsletter that the Adachi DLC character for the upcoming Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will be free for a week after launch. You don’t even need to own the game yet, as you can download Adachi from Xbox Live or PSN during the free period. I’ll spare any further discussion which could spoil Persona 4‘s story and say that not only is this good, but that I also approve of Adachi’s alt-color that’s shown above. He belongs to the Jester arcana, so a Joker palette seems appropriate.
Because Atlus doesn’t have a European branch, releasing their games is always iffy because it relies on other companies publishing the games. As a result, some games don’t come out or are hard to get. (Persona 4 Arena was just taken off the European PSN store.) Atlus is fixing this somewhat with Shin Megami Tensei IV, which is finally getting released in Europe. Sadly, there is no physical release, as the game is only available as a digital download from the eShop. The game is also only in English, reusing the localization for America. Still, this is good news for hardcore RPG fans. The price hasn’t been set yet, but we do know the game is coming out in Q3 later this year. Read more…
Since their reinvention with Persona 3, the Persona games have been known for their striking, colorful openings, showing off the characters and setting the tone of the game. I know I’m not the only person to have rewatched them too many times to count. Well, it seems that Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, the upcoming 3DS dungeon crawler, isn’t too much of a spin-off to get its own fancy opening number. It shows the characters from Persona 3 and 4 looking cool and interacting with each other, since this is a crossover game. I’ve already watched this a few times, because the music is as catchy as usual. Alas: this game won’t be out in North America until Fall 2014. Read more…
After a quick tease, Atlus has announced that Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, the third core game in the SMT franchise, has been rerleased on PS3 via the PlayStation Network. This game was the first entry in the main series to be released outside of Japan, though spin-offs like the Persona and Last Bible games had previously appeared in the US, sometimes under the brand-name Revelations. It’s also considered to be one of the best entries, as well as being the first time that many non-Japanese gamers were exposed to an RPG with a very high difficulty. If you’re an RPG fan, are tired of modern games being too easy, or just want to play an amazing game, consider buying it, since it’s only $9.99. Read more…
We still may not have gotten an official release for Persona 3 The Movie: Chapter 1, Spring of Birth yet, but that won’t stop the second movie from coming out in Japan! The multi-movie adaptation of Persona 3, Atlus’s successful refresh of their sub-franchise that led to the juggernaut Persona 4, is rolling on. On June 7, Persona 3 The Movie: Chapter 2, Midsummer Knight’s Dream will be released. As with the past movie, the art direction looks great, just dripping with atmosphere. Maybe this one will be a bit more interesting now that the plot is already underway. Read more…
It was a buffet of Persona news as Atlus announced Persona games for everything. Ever. First up, they announced the much anticipated Persona 5 for PS3 next holiday. No other details aside from the announcement itself came out, though. Persona 4: Dancing All Night, on the other hand, is an unexpected Persona dancing game for PS Vita. Then Atlus also revealed Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth on 3DS, a dungeon crawler directed by Daisuke Kaneda (Etrian Odyssey 4). Lastly, they also listed a sequel to their Persona 4 fighting game spinoff, called Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold for PS3, which will arrive Summer 2014. Whew! Talk about a lot of Persona! Read more…
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 24, 2013 in Anime, Cinema
I remember everyone clamoring for a Persona 3 anime after the game came out. I’d have to imagine all those fans were disappointed by Persona: Trinity Soul, which was actually a sequel (though now considered non-canon) with none of the likable characters from the game. But hey, Persona 4: The Animation did well enough, so now Persona 3 is getting an anime adaptation, starting with Persona 3 The Movie: #1 Spring of Birth. The first actual trailer has been released, and it’s looking great! Read more…
With all of the major press conferences out of the way (thanks for nothing, Square Enix), E3 is starting to stabilize as journalists get their hands-on impressions. But there are still some announcements trickling out, especially for games that may have been a bit too small to trumpet from the heavens (er, stage). One such game is Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium Girl, a 3DS remake of the first Etrian Odyssey game. Atlus made and published the game in Japan, but not every game makes it over. However, since the series does rather well for Atlus USA, they’ve announced that they will be publishing The Millenium Girl in the US this fall. Read more…
In what is very good news for JRPG fans, Atlus has announced through their Atlus Faithful emailer that Shin Megami Tensei IV will be out on 3DS in North America this summer! With Final Fantasy becoming less about actual gameplay and more about either pretty visuals or shallow nostalgia grabs, Shin Megami Tensei (and spinoffs like the popular Persona series) is slowly emerging as the flag-bearer for JRPG fans who want some substance in the games they play. Read more…
The next mainline Shin Megami Tensei game comes out for 3DS in Japan on May 23. Shin Megami Tensei IV continues the series tradition of mixing demons, the occult, and modern day Japan. Atlus has put out a five-minute trailer showing tons of footage. Interestingly enough, there’s a shot of a Demonica armor suit, which appeared in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey on DS, once considered to be SMT IV before this new game was announced. Read more…
Dang, Atlus, slow down! Just yesterday I’m writing about the Devil Survivor 2 anime, and now there’s a teaser trailer for a Persona 3 anime adaptation! Read more…
Bravo on Atlus for having the guts to retain the original name of a game when it’s adapted into an anime. Even though Persona 4: The Animation was the first Persona anime actually based on the games (we don’t talk about Persona: Trinity Soul), it didn’t shy away from keeping the “4” in the title, despite the fact that it may alienate potential viewers a bit. Now they’re doing the same with the Devil Survivor 2 anime, and here’s the trailer to prove it. Read more…
We knew that Atlus was making an updated port of Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, a spin-off of their massive Shin Megami Tensei franchise that includes the cult favorite Persona. However, there was no previous indication that the game would make its way west. Thankfully, Atlus is pulling through, announcing to their Atlus Faithful email subscribers that Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers will be released in North America come Spring 2013. Read more…
Atlus is keeping it old-school with its Etrian Odyssey series. The player controls a party and traverses dunegons while fighting monsters. It’s like Wizardry, but far more modern. But some things never change, like the need to draw your own map as you go along, like people did back in the NES days. I respect that fact that some developers are keeping alive old traditions like that in an era where many games involve following an arrow down a straight corridor, in terms of how much freedom you’re granted. There’s a new game coming up, Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, and there’s a new trailer showing off what it’s like. Read more…
Though it still doesn’t have the broad name recognition of Final Fantasy here in the US, Atlus’s Persona series has risen to prominence among gamers who have been searching for new, meaty games this generation, which has seen a dearth of quality JRPGs. While Persona 3 laid reinvented the series and proved popular, it was Persona 4 that exploded in popularity, leading to an anime and tons of spin-off material. Soon, Persona 4 will get a port for PlayStation Vita with lots of new content. Read more…
I have to hand it to Atlus. Just when you think they’re ready to move on, they find a way to surprise us. After they announced the Persona 4 anime, and fighting game, I seriously thought that would be the last we saw of the series. It wasn’t long before they announced a port of the original for Sony’s Playstation Vita, which will launch stateside next year. Now, they’re even discussing plans for a stage adaptation of the game to debut next March. The show’s being produced by Marvelous AQL, who some of you might recognize from games like Harvest Moon, and Rune Factory. They also happen to be involved in musical theater, television series, and other forms of media, so they’ve had experience with this sort of thing in the past. In fact, they recently produced a popular musical based on the anime Prince of Tennis.
Last month Atlus had surprise hit on their hands when Catherine set a company record by selling over 200,000 copies within the first week. Personally, I found the game to be both entertaining and insightful despite relying on its sexy visuals to market itself. The script is often hilarious and the voice acting has that Atlus-polish we’ve become so accustomed to. Between the increasingly complex puzzles and “choose your own adventure”-esque interludes, I felt it offered a bit more than just lip-service. Puzzles and sex aside though, the game just wouldn’t be the same without some alcohol in the mix. Recently, a Cathrine-themed bar opened in Japan offering cocktails inspired by the characters you encounter throughout the game. While they didn’t offer the exact measurements, you can try to concoct some of these delicious drinks on your own with the ingredients listed below. Frankly, I can’t wait to try some myself, but something tells me they’ll be difficult to perfect. Anyone brave enough to try?
We can’t really call it a trailer, but this video’s the latest in a series of teasers for the upcoming Persona 4 anime. Fans of the series have been freaking out since plans for an anime adatption were recently announced, and I really can’t blame them. So far, it’s looking pretty fantastic. Unlike the Persona: Trinity Soul anime which was loosely based on the world of Persona 3, this one will feature the main characters from the fourth installment of the series. It’s probably safe to assume that it’ll follow the plot of Persona 4, so those of us who haven’t already played it may be in luck. If not, you’ll have a nice excuse to pick up a copy. The series is set to air later this fall.Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 17, 2011 in Videogames
Xbox 360 owners are in for a bit of treat when they pre-order Larin Studios’ upcoming expansion for their hit RPG Divinity II, entitled The Dragon Knight Saga. Those of you who were unfortunate enough to own the previous title for your console may be happy to know that this upcoming release will feature a remastered version, complete with new content, an improved engine and support for the Flames of Vengeance add-on. On top of that, Atlus, the game’s North American publisher has decided to sell it for the low price of $39.99, and those of you who pre-order will recieve an art book and soundtrack to boot.
